Territory



(No Model.) I

R. B. GHRITTON,

GAR COUPLING.

Patented Feb. 23. 1897.

MUM;

mmmuumnm Hm i NITE STATES ROBERT B. OHRITTON, OF NORTH ENID, OKLAHOMA TERRITORY.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 577,547, dated February 23, 1897.

Application filed March 1 5 1 8 9 5.

T0 aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT E. OHRITTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at North Enid, in the county of Garfield and Territory of Oklahoma, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Oar-Couplings, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in car-couplings.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of car-couplin gs and to provide a simple, inexpensive, and efficient one capable of coupling automatically, and adapted to be readily uncoupled from the top and sides of cars without going between them.

Another object of the invention is to provide a car-couplin g which may be readily coupled with any ordinary form of draw-head and in which the link may be readily guided to direct it into the mouths of draw-heads at diflerent elevations.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claim hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a car-coupling constructed in accord ance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the pivoted catch. Fig. 5 is a detail view illustrating a modification of the link. Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of the vertically-movable pin which engages the inner end of the link.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawlngs.

l designates a draw-head mounted on a car 2 in the usual manner and provided at one side of its link opening or cavity with a fixed catch 3, which cooperates with a pivoted catch 4, located at the opposite side of the draw-head. The catches converge inwardly and are adapted to engage the shoulders of an arrow-headed link 5, which may be provided at both ends with arrow-heads, or which may be constructed, as illustrated in Fig. 5 of the accompanying drawings, with an opening at one end to receive a coupling-pin to Serial No. 541,962. (No model.)

enable it to be connected with other kinds of draw-heads.

The rearwardly or inwardly diverging catches are adapted to direct the link to the center of the draw-head, and the link is capable of swinging the pivoted catch 4 back ward against the action of the spring 6, in order to pass between the catches and have its shoulders engaged by the same. The spring 6 is secured at its rear end to one side of the shank or draw-bar of the draw-head. It extends forward through an opening 7 of the back of the draw-head and its free front or outer end engages the pivoted catch at the inner or rear face thereof adjacent to the engaging inner end of the same, and the catch is provided at its front or outer end beyond the pivot 8 with a shoulder 9, adapted to abut against the inner face of the adjacent side wall of the draw-head to limit the forward swing of the inner portion of the pivoted catch.

The operation of uncoupling may be performed from the top and sides of cars, and the pivot 8, which is disposed vertically, eX- tends from the top of the draw-head and is provided with a rearwardly-extending arm 10, to which is connected the operating mechanism. The rear end of the arm is connected by a transversely-disposed link-bar 11 with the lower end of an operating-lever 12, which is fulcrumed intermediate of its ends on the the link-bar 11 at a point intermediate of the ends thereof, and its outerend is provided with a suitable grip or handle.

The link is elevated or depressed to guide it properly into the mouth of the draw-head by means of a vertically-movable pin 16, mounted in a perforation of the top of the draw-head and arranged to bear upon the inner end of the link. The link is fulcrumed on the bottom of the draw-head, and when the.

pin 16 is depressed the outer end of the link is raised and an upward movement of the pin 16 permits the outer end of the link to drop. The pin is manipulated by means of a rod 17, arranged in an eye or guide 18 of the draw-head, and having its inner end connected to the upper end of the pin 16. The outer end of the rod 17 is provided with a grip or handle, which may be moved upward or downward, the guide or eye 18 forming a fulcrum and enabling the rod 17 to operate as a lever.

It will be seen that the car-coupling is exceedingly simple and inexpensive in construction, that it is strong and durable, and that it may be readily applied to ears without necessitating any change in the construction of the draft mechanism. It will also be apparent that it is positive and reliable in operation, and capable of coupling automatically and of being readily uncoupled without going between ears, and that it is adapted to couple with various kinds of car-couplings and is unaffected by the vibration of the cars.

Changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Vhat I claim is In a car-coupling, the combination with a car, of a draw-head provided at one side with a fixed catch, a pivoted catch mounted at the opposite side of the draw-head and having its pivot extending through the top of the drawhead, a rearwardly-disposed arm connected with the upper portion of the pivot, a vertically-disposed lever fulcrumed on the car and located at one side thereof and extending to the top of the same, a transversely-disposed link-bar connecting the arm and the lever, a handle extending from the operating-lever at the lower end thereof, and a rod extending to the opposite side of the car, arranged in a suitable guide and having its inner end connected to the link-bar, substantially as described.

ROBERT 1s. OllRl'l"ON.

Witnesses:

L. M. CONKLING, J. W. TOMPSON. 

